Eric Gordon had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee. It was described as a cleanup procedure specifically referring to loose cartilage particles. Typical recovery times for arthroscopic procedures are low since they are minimally invasive. This article from Johns Hopkins, a literally world-renowned hospital for those who have not had the misfortune of having to learn much about hospitals, describes these procedures generically and discusses recovery times.

Since then, he played 9 games for the Hornets last season, participated in Olympic trials, and had no reported offseason issues. Then, he was held out of training camp, including preseason games. On opening night, his scheduled season debut, it was announced that he’d be out. Clarification came in the ensuing days that he’d rehab out of town.

After returning to the team, he’s been held out of the second game of back-to-backs. His minutes per have have been increasing, but he’s missed 7 games since his return while playing in 19. There are 4 more second games of back-to-backs in the remaining 27 games.

If these restrictions remain, then Gordon is not fully recovered, by definition. He may have recovered to some degree, but he’s not fully recovered.

We’ll look at the procedure for direction on how to proceed.

For the procedure:

Arthroscopic surgery is a procedure in which the inside of the joint can be evaluated and treated using surgical instruments placed into the joint through small incisions (portals) measuring one centimeter or less (less than half an inch). The arthroscopic equipment consists of the scope and small surgical instruments which allow the surgeon to probe, cut, or shave tissues inside the knee. The scope itself is a small tube 4-5 millimeters in diameter (smaller than a pencil) which has a fiberoptic light source and a magnifying lens. Attached to this is a camera and cable which projects the image from inside the knee onto a television screen or monitor. The knee joint is filled with sterile fluid and the scope is moved around the inside of the knee joint by the surgeon so that various areas and structures can be seen and evaluated on the monitor. The small surgical instruments (biters, shavers, probes, scissors, etc.), also measuring 2 to 5 millimeters, are placed into the joint through separate incisions to remove torn cartilage, trim torn structures, or do other procedures. Two to four small incisions are usually needed for knee arthroscopy. — From the Hopkins article

So, this is pretty light in terms of surgery. It really is minimally invasive. Also, conversations with MD’s indicate that these procedures would reveal clear-and-present structural problems to the physician monitoring the scope, so there should be no overlooked injury or damage in the knee.

Being minimally invasive, recovery should be quick relative to more traditional surgeries. For the recovery time:

The recovery time depends upon many factors, namely how extensive the arthritis was in the knee and what was done at surgery. Most patients go home the same day after surgery. Crutches are used for 3 to 7 days, but weight can usually be placed on the operated leg as tolerated. Rest, ice packs, and elevating the limb are also recommended. Physical therapy is not required for all patients, but is prescribed on an individual basis.

It usually takes at least a week before patients can drive depending upon which leg had surgery and the car’s transmission. Most people can go back to a sitting job at one week after surgery, but patients who lift or walk a lot at their job may take longer. Activities are progressed according the amount of pain and swelling present in the knee. It typically takes about three weeks to recover fully for routine daily activities, but it may be two to three months before one can comfortably return to sports. Generally, the more arthritis there is in the knee, the longer it takes to recover. — From the Hopkins article

So, a year (1 year, 1 week, and 1 day . . . leap day!) seems a little long, and that is being wildly generous. This article, as do others, brings up the word arthritis. Neither Gordon nor the Hornets has ever used this term. Regardless, longer than a year to recover from a simple cleanup procedure is unreasonable. It is more reasonable to assume this other condition exists.

Gordon himself referred to a disorder, naming Andrew Bynum and Danny Granger as players with similar issues, but he professed to not know the name of the disorder that was defining his career and legacy. It’s possible that the disorder has no name, he did not want to try to repeat its name (he dropped out of college, not medical school), or that he knew it, knew it to be commonly known and scary, and declined to answer that question about his personal health.

To be clear, arthritis can take many forms, but the most common form, osteoarthrits, is a joint disorder that results in inflammation of that joint and in connected to cartilage erosion in that joint. This erosion can be the result of wear or injury.

Both arthritis and patellar tendinitis can be scary things, arthritis moreso. Let’s look at that the Hornets and Gordon have said about the topic.

On February 13, 2012:

The New Orleans Hornets announced today that Hornets guard Eric Gordon will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right knee tomorrow. The surgery is needed to fully resolve an injury that was sustained earlier in the season during a Hornets game. After that point it did not fully heal with treatment and rest. The doctors expect that Eric will be fully recovered and able to return to playing in up to six weeks.

“After consulting with our medical staff, we concluded that surgery was the best route and in the best interest of Eric for the long term. We had hoped with rest and rehab, Eric’s knee would have healed.” General Manager Dell Demps said. “Eric is eager to return to the court and we are confident Hornet Fans will get to see him soon.”

And on the 14th:

The New Orleans Hornets announced today that Eric Gordon underwent successful arthroscopic surgery to clean up his right knee this morning. As anticipated, he will be out approximately six weeks.

Later reports indicate that this surgery removed loose pieces of cartilage. This season, his personalized training was centered around strengthening the muscles around the knee.

Both osteoarthritis and patellar tendinitis can be treated with such a routine. Both involve swelling and pain in the knee, and both see benefit from its reduction. Osteoarthritis specifically involves cartilage damage, which Eric Gordon certainly faced. Patellar tendonitis, however, can be caused by joint trauma, and that trauma could have cause the cartilage damage, removing the cartilage as a potential cause. Both conditions can see improvement due to increased quadriceps strength, so this is not a discriminator.

Both conditions have other potential causes, and the above may be consistent with other conditions, as well. The point here is not to prove that Gordon has either of these conditions. Rather, the intent is to highlight exactly how little is known about an injury that was repaired, in theory, over a year ago despite the number of conversations on this topic and the stature of the patient as one of the highest paid athletes in the world.

And for those wondering if this article will disrupt a potential trade for Gordon: No. All of this information is public. It’s just being written down in one place after a year of a less-than-full recovery, and not just because the recovery is not full; it’s because the situation seems, in some ways, worse this year than last. For instance, he immediately played in a back-to-back upon his return last year (April 6, 7). His moves are clearly worse on the court, particularly his handling of the ball. Also, many stats are flagging without too any significant improvements: TS%, eFG%, TRB%, TOV%, ORtg, PER, and WS/48. This is after the `good’ rehab which came after the `not-as-good’ rehab that was good enough to get him through the Olympic trials.

Following this course leads to a bad place. Any of this have a familiar ring:

Monday’s surgery was more of an annoyance than a sign his career, and his knees, are through. He considered it a freak injury — caused by banging knees.

“My biggest struggle through this whole knee process is that I probably can play just games,” Roy said. “But when a guy just plays games, his jumper is not right and his timing is off. I’ve always been able to be good because I prepared. If I struggle in a game, I can’t go work on it tomorrow. I can’t improve like other players can.

“Other players can get in the gym the next day and work on what they want to work on to get better. I haven’t been able to do that the last couple of years. I’ve been going out there the last couple of years just willing it on emotions. So that’s where my frustration is.” — CSNNW

Later, he cut back practices.

I’ve felt better since the recent surgery, but I am not all the way better. — SBNation

His stats also dropped on a percentage basis in terms of TS%, eFG%, TRB%, TOV%, ORtg, PER, and WS/48, the same categories as the drops in Eric Gordon’s statistics.

Now, Roy not getting better does not mean that Gordon will not return to form, but it’s not good to see similar stories unfolding to point. Roy’s arthritis is degenerative, so it would have started and continued on its own without the provocation of injury, for instance, if he didn’t get a bone bruise in 2010 that turned out to be the first domino to fall on the way to his inevitable retirement.

There is no conclusive evidence that Gordon has arthritis, even more, degenerative arthritis. Moreover, Roy had little cartilage left in his right knee after prior surgeries while Gordon, by all accounts, has had very little surgically removed. This is clearly a bounding case for Gordon’s situation if he has osteoarthritis, but it does provide some evidence that a pattern such as Gordon’s after a more-complex-than-expected bone bruise can be an indicator of deeper, potentially irrecoverable, trouble. Some studies have concluded that longer recovery time for bone bruises can be associated with osteoarthritis.

I do not wish any problems upon Eric Gordon, and I feel that way for a number of reasons. Sadly, the data indicates that there is some problem in that knee that is impeding a full recovery, and the biggest piece of that data is the time between the surgery and today. Maybe it’s nothing in the knee; it could just be caution with their prized asset.

No matter what today’s trade deadline has in store for the Hornets, it’s best for all parties for their to be no problem at all.

It does seem, however, that we’ll have the chance to gather more data to work with.

13 Comments

That’s two posts with both cussing and hatespeak. You have free speech… you can say what you want on your blog. Here, you can say it in a better way. For those who missed it, thia guy believe EJ is weak and does like cussing being edited out. There, your message is being broadcast. — 42

I think Hornets fans frustration with Gordon is fueled greatly by the mystery shrouding his injury and if some percentage of it is being overexaggerated. Of course our beloved front office is just as responsible as him for the said mystery.

The most mysterious part of this for me by far: How did he get vetted for the contract he received not only our medical staff but also the highly acclaimed Phoenix staff.

Curious about a point you raised regarding his participation in practices. Anyone know what portion of practice he is involved in?

“The common element may be his willingness or ability to accurately characterize his pain / impairment.”

this comment, along with the one in the article referencing dropping out of college, leads me to a question, which i hope can be answered without disparagement of the subject player…

is eric gordon perceived as one with less than average intelligence?

Jason Calmes

February 21, 2013 at 1:38 pm

By me? No.

By others? Maybe.

Being an effective and well-equipped communicator is a different thing.

Nola86

February 21, 2013 at 1:29 pm

To this day we’ll never know who traded Paul for Gordon and scraps because even with ownership is going to be harder to trade Gordon over the summer.So are we going end up trading for scrap again unless Gordon turns into Kobe just kidding.

It is funny how it works. As it stands he looks untradeable. But if there ever gets any semblance of security in his injury situation, then he becomes a hot commodity, because the belief will be that he can be gotten for scraps.

These little niggling injuries won’t matter if he stays healthy in the main up to next year’s deadline. There are bunches of overpaid players out there. a reasonably healthy EG is worth $3 mil more than Crash Wallace. Humphries makes $12 a year.

If you really think about it..by next year’s deadline, that contract is basically half over. Can you imagine where we’d be if we still had the old rules? 7 years!!!